This summer I’m taking my mom bod to the pool in a bikini. Let me back up and say that because of my very long torso I’ve always been a big fan of the two-piece swimsuit out of necessity. But I sort of assumed that after having a baby you were bound to a life of one-piece swimsuits forever and ever, either out of a duty to modesty or a desire to hide things that had stretched and expanded or … Read More
Friday Favorites
Madewell Jeans // Belong Magazine // Nine West Booties (similar) Happy, happy Friday! We’re laying low this weekend with no real plans on the books, and I couldn’t be more excited. We have a handful of small house projects to work on, but other than that we’re laying low and taking it easy. Here are a few of my favorite finds from around the web this week! Have you seen a dress this perfect before? I die. A really amazing low-income housing … Read More
say what you mean to say
This week (and maybe last week, too) was a very average week. You know those weeks, right? The ones where you intend to do all the things and instead find yourself with a half-accomplished to-do list and a brain that feels all sorts of scattered? Yeah, I’m totally there. The kind of week where you have a little knot in your stomach for a reason you can’t identify. When you’re doing all the “right” things and yet everything seems to … Read More
Baby Breakfast :: Oatmeal Edition
Ainsley has been stuck with just two little teeth for close to five months now. Today I just saw a tooth starting to poke out on top (!!) but feeding a hungry baby who is very interested in food but only has two teeth is a challenge! She chokes on food all the time if I don’t mash it up enough or make the bites small, and I alway feel so bad. The teeth situation has forced me to get … Read More
Favorite Old Navy Finds
This weekend Joe and I took a trip to our nearest city, about an hour away, because I was in serious need of being around large groups of people, eating Chick-Fil-A and drinking a cup of Starbucks while browsing stores and picking up a few things for Ainsley’s first birthday! (Cue all the tears…) I ended up going to Old Navy because it’s my go-to for cute, cheap basics and trendier items I’m not sure I really want to spend … Read More
An Ainsley Update
I realized I talk about motherhood in a general sense quite frequently, but I rarely talk about Ainsley specifically. As she grows and becomes her own little person, I’ve been thinking a lot about her privacy and how much or little to share online. There is a delicate balance to strike, that’s for certain, but I am so thankful for each and every one of you who prayed for her and want you to share in the JOY that she … Read More
A Wine + Chocolate Girls NIght
*This post was sponsored by Ghirardelli. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make E&C possible. January is a long month in the Midwest. I mean, after New Year’s there is a long stretch filled with cold days without much to celebrate. So what’s a girl to do? My answer was to get the girls together for a wine and chocolate party. It was the perfect way to break up the weekday routine and host friends in … Read More
The Number Doesn’t Matter
A few weeks ago, I made a rookie mistake. You see, I found the perfect pair of jeans a few months ago. They fit great, looked good and were so dang comfortable. Then, a couple weeks ago, they started to feel a little bit loose. So what’s a girl to do? I bought the size smaller. Despite making huge strides in my journey to body self-acceptance, I let myself slip into thinking that the number on a pair of jeans … Read More
Mommy Martyr
Yesterday was not a particularly shining day for me. I woke up feeling flat-out sorry for myself for a handful of reasons that now seem too petty and foolish to list. Most of the time Mondays as work days for me, but I had rescheduled our childcare for the week so we could take Ainsley to a doctor’s appointment in a city about an hour and a half away. My mom was planning on coming along so we could make … Read More
The Food I Eat :: Postpartum Edition
My body has gone through a lot of changes in the past year. I’ve grown a baby, gained 30 pounds, had a baby, lost 35 pounds and now spend a good portion of each day chasing after a little one who is always on the go and on the verge of walking. Personally, I think what I eat is a fairly dull topic, since I tend to be a bit of a robot in terms of my daily food choices, … Read More
Sibling Spacing
When Ainsley turned 9-months-old, the questions about baby #2 started to roll in. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but that sounds a little early to start talking about the (hopefully, God willing) next baby, doesn’t it? I mean, I’m still calling myself a “new mom” and still very much feel like a new mom in so many ways, and people are wondering if I’m thinking about round two? Like most women once they’ve had a baby who starts … Read More
Hofmeyer Renovation: The Before Photos
The light at the end of this home renovation tunnel is now clearly visible. While there were plenty of days in the last few months when I was just over the whole thing, I’ve been doing my best to maintain perspective, be thankful for the gift it is to be able to renovate a home, and the excitement about seeing our vision for this house come together. When we moved back to Iowa we were shocked at how scarce the … Read More